Summary Of News For April.

In the House of Commons on the 16 th , the Metropolis Management . Bill of Sir B . Hall was read a second time , and the House went into Committee of Supply . It was stated that the amount already voted for the new Houses of Parliament was £ 1 , 690 , 000 , it was then proposed to vote , £ 172 , 000 , ancl a further sum of £ 651 , 000 would be required to fully carry out the views of Sir C . Barry . The vote was approved , ancl £ 100 , 000 voted on account of the Education Board . On the 17 th , Sir George Grey stated that certain changes were contemplated in the construction of

the Committee of Council for Education ; and Capt . Boldero moved for the appointment of a Select Committee to inquire into the state of the medical departments of tho Army and Navy , but tho motion was negatived by a majority of 73 to 69 . On the 18 th , Mr . McMahon moved the second reading of the Sea Coast Fisheries ( Ireland ) Bill , which , after a long discussion , was lost by a majority of 145 to 19 . On the 20 th , the Chancellor of the Exchequer brought forward his Budget . He calculated the income for the coming existing sources of taxationexclusive of

year , , the sum to be lost by the repeal of the newspaper stamp , at , £ 63 , 339 , 000 ; and the expenditure , including a margin of £ 4 , 400 , 000 , at £ 86 , 339 , 000 . This showed a deficit of £ 23 , 000 , 000 , which he proposed to make good by a loan of £ 16 , 000 , 000 , already contracted for at par ; by an addition of 2 d . in the pound on the income tax , calculated to produce . £ 2 , 000 , 000 ; by an addition to the sugar duties of 3 * . per

ctvt ., calculated to produce £ 1 , 200 , 000 ; an addition of Id . in the lb . on coffee , £ 150 , 000 ; an addition of 3 cL in the lb . on tea , £ 750 , 000 ; stamps upon bankers ' cheques of Id . each , i' 200 , 000 ; and equalisation of English and Scotch spirits , and increase of 2 s . upon Irish , £ 1 , 000 , 000 . Resolutions in accordance with tho proposal were agreed to , leaving the various points open for future discussion . On the 23 rd , Lord Palmerston , in reply to a question , stated that the Conference at Vienna had come to an unsatisfactory conclusion ; and the House went into a Committee of

Ways ancl Means on the Budget , and , after a long discussion , the report was agreed to , and leave given to bring in the various bills necessary for carrying it out . The Newspaper Stamp Duties Bill then went into Committee , ancl the general principles were again affirmed , though it was resolved that the proprietors of all newspapers should register them , and give sureties against libel , as at present . On the 24 th , the House was counted out without any business of importance being transacted . On the 25 ththe second reading of the Marriage Law Amendment Bill came under

, consideration , but , after a long discussion , was adjourned to the 9 th instant . On the 20 th , various Bills in connection with the Budget were advanced a stage , and the second reading of the Testamentary Jurisdiction Bill postponed , but at 12 o ' clock the debate was adjourned . On the 27 th , the Scotch Education Bill was read a second time by a majority of 39 , the numbers being , for the second reading 210 against 171 .

THE WAR . Operations in the Crimea have' at last been renewed with great activity—and news of importance's almost hourly looked for . The allied armies commenced tho bombardment of ilie town on the 9 th ., but up to the 20 th no national advantage appears to have been gained , though the allies were said to have the advantage , and a sortie of the Russians on the night of the 18 th to have been repulsed with loss . Omar Pashawith 20000 Egyptian troops are said to have arrived at

Balaklava—, , and the fleets were understood to be preparing for some decisive course of action . The Baltic fleet has sailed ; and the peace conference having terminated unsatisfactorily , Lord Jolm Russell , and M . Drouyn de Lhuys are on their return home to their respective courts . PROVIDENT . On tho 3 rd Aprilthe Southampton Directors of the UnitFire Insurance

Associa-_ , y tion , entertained a deputation from the London Board , at dinner , to celebrate the completion of insurances of £ 1 , 000 , 000 of property in that district within two years . The proceedings were presided over b y the Mayor , who was supported by several Aldermen ancl Magistrates of tho town and neighbourhood , and in the course of the evening Br . T . H . Baylis , the manager , brought forward a plan for establishing a Unity Bank upon